Morning journal and courier., 1887-07-28

Washington Streets SXEarming with
 Ladies on TrycicIes-A W omanss Bicy-
 cIe Promised.
 From the Washington Star]
 One of the things noticeable in the rise and progress of the wheel in Washington is the great increase within two or three years of the'numberof women who ride tricyles. A few years ago Mrs. Belva Lockwood attracted much notice by appearing on the streets on tricycle.. She was the first woman to try it, and her independence, it is claimed, helped her considerably in her canvass against Blaine and Cleveland for the presidency, although she was not elected. The machine she used, though it was new pattern at the time she bought it, is made with crank and pedals, and graceful woman who rides properlyseems to acquire new grace upon it. Sitting erect the movement is natural and easy, and she glides like goddess. After Mrs. Lockwood appeared on the street some other venture some women tried the mahine, and used to ride for pleasure, riding chiefly at night. About four years ago 8 number of ladies, who were enthusiastic riders, banded together in club with several gentlemen, and every pleasant evening long train of tricycles, with their twinkling lamps, could be seen sweeping along on some of the wide avenues of the city. The woman's tricycle. club was out. Gradually, however, ladies began to appear singly on the street in broad day, and now woman a tricycle. attracts no more attention than a woman on a horse. Every week adds to the number of fair cyelers.
 There are 800 ladies in this city who ride tricycles. Many of them own their own ma chimes; others rent tricycles when they want to use them. There are "singles" and
 ''soc;ables" and ''tandems" and trioycles of great many different patterns. The sin gle is made for one person, the sociable for two, one sitting in front of the other. ''There is nothing better for women," said the wheelman. 'fTake women, for instance, that sit in the parlor all day, or, perhaps, may get into street car and ride to the store and do little shopping. On the tri- cycle they get exhilarsting exercise. They move and breathe. There is lady now on her way from Alabama to this city on a tricycle.. She left home suffering with in- hammatory rheumatism, but we have heard from her at Louisville, and she has complete ly recovered. There is nothing like it for consuming the old and helping to make new tissue"
 "A lady though should be dressed proper ly for riding in order to get the full benefit of the exercise and all the pleasure of riding. If she tries to ride with hustle and other en- cumbrances of course she will find it uncom- fortable Her movements will be impeded. An ordinary riding habit is good thing. Now there's proper dress," and he pointed to slender young lady who had just alight- ed at the curb from tricycle.. Sac wore a ! dark blue flannel dress with a blouse waist and loose skirt that, so far as the reporter could make out, concealed no hustle or other | artificial means of supplying outline to the form.
 f'She will ride with as much freedom and grace as man." He went on: Another l lady, the wife of well-known literary man here, has very simple but ingenious cos- | tune. She wears two loose flannel skirts, l the under longer than the other. The outer skirt is so arranged that when she leaves her tricycle. to go into a house or store she can pull or gather it up at the sides with concealed strings, so that it becomes a founced overskirt. When she resumes riding she simply lets out the skirt and it
 falls down at full length. Some ladies ride very we'll. It is great pleasure to ride with l c lady who understands how to ride, who sits erect and brings her weight squarely on the pedals"
 l Any pleasant evening one can see parties | of ladies leaving the bicycle school for run l on tricycles. The ladies generally go in par ties of from two to ten. Often they will
 have gentleman or several gentlemen with